Padres sign free agent starter Lucas Giolito to one-year contract

Sep 23, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Lucas Giolito (54) delivers a pitch against the Toronto Blue Jays in the first inning at Rogers Centre.

(© Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images)

SAN DIEGO -- The Padres on Wednesday signed veteran right-hander Lucas Giolito to a one-year contract that includes a mutual option for the 2027 season.

In what is an already depleted room that has Nick Pivetta, Joe Musgrove and Griffin Canning all shelved on the IL, the move adds much needed depth to San Diego's rotation. Despite drawing interest from the Padres and the Cubs during the offseason, Giolito's free agency period prolonging into the regular season was unexpected.

He will work to eventually join the Padres and will start his 2026 season down in Lake Elsinore with live action in Single-A. There is no set timeline as to when he'll get called up but the 31-year-old will now have a 25 day window to be added to the roster.

Back in 2024, Giolito signed a two-year, $38.5 million deal with the Red Sox and ended up missing the first year due to UCL surgery. The lone year he played in Boston, he posted a 3.41 ERA with 121 strikeouts in 26 starts.

Since Giolito didn't receive a qualifying offer from the Red Sox, there will be no draft pick compensation for signing him.

Before recentering his pitching approach in 2024 to having more contact instead of focusing on whiffs, Giolito finished 2022-23 seasons with an 4.89 ERA in 63 starts, including stints with the Angels and Guardians after being traded by the at the 2023 trade deadline. He pitched in 21 games for the in 2023 and had a 3.79 ERA but struggled to replicate those numbers in (6.89 ERA) and (7.04 ERA).